


What A Smile Can Hide

by orphan_account



Series: S T R A W H E A R T [7]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 05:31:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11097909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Luffy hides his problems with a smile.





	What A Smile Can Hide

Torao's here, frowning and clutching Kikoku against himself, his fingers tightened around her hilt which is a tell of anger or worry.

Torao's a frowny kind of guy, but why would he be worried?

Kaidou's defeated, Torao's crew is safe, Big Mom isn't a problem anymore, and Sanji's back, so why is Torao worried?

Stupid Torao.

"Luffy-ya, _stop_."

Luffy frowns, issuing a confused noise.

"I'm not doing anything, Torao."

Law tilts his head, a curious glint in his eyes and a frown gracing his features.

"You're an eccedentesiast."

Ecce-what?

"Quit being weird!" Luffy frowns.

"Only when you stop being the worst." Law retorts.

"What's it mean, Torao?" Luffy asks, narrowing his eyes at his ally leaning against the infirmary wall.

Law frowns, tilting his head again before he turns his head away and glances out the porthole that allows the shining sun in, which warms Luffy's skin, almost too much.

"Ask Nico-ya."

So Luffy does, hours later after Torao disappears to the infirmary to talk with Chopper, he finds Robin in the library.

"Hey, Robin?"

Robin hums, running a hand through his hair while she reads an old looking book.

"Yes, Luffy?"

Luffy stares at the floor, tightening his arms around Robin's neck, not enough to hurt, but enough to count as a hug. He continues to lay his head on her chest while resting his knees on either side of her thighs. It's comfortable, just not for the reasons that Sanji gets jealous over when he sees them like this.

"What does," he frowns, "eccedent-something mean?"

"Eccedentesiast?"

"Yeah!"

Robin smiles, turning the next page before she places a hand at the back of his head and presses him further against her chest.

It's a Robin Hug.

Luffy snickers, squeezing back just as tight.

"It means someone who hides their pain behind a smile."

 "Oh." Luffy mumbles, "Torao's like that, too."

"Indeed." Robin agrees. "I think everyone can be an eccedentesiast at times."

* * *

"I know what it means!"

Law quirks a lazy brow, reclining against the chair in his captains chambers.

And _wow_ , screw Torao for making him think these things when they _could_ be fucking.

"Eccedentesiast?"

"Yeah, that!"

"And?"

Luffy pouts, sitting cross-legged on Torao's super comfy mattress with Torao's same smiley face tattoo decorating the blanket.

"You're one too."

Law frowns, that same curious glint in his golden eyes like that of a hawk.

"You didn't even know what that word meant a week ago."

"So? You called me it first."

"You deserved it when you went nearly _three days_ without sleep and scared the absolute shit out of your nakama when you collasped."

Luffy frowns, darting his eyes away from the angry gaze of Torao.

"So?"

Law exhales, running a hand over his face before covering his eyes. "You can't do shit like that, Straw Hat."

"I do what I want when I want to, you're not the boss of me, Torao." Luffy frowns. "Torao doesn't sleep good either."

"I don't jump headfirst into danger."

"So?! Just 'cause _you're_ boring doesn't mean you don't need to sleep!"

Law frowns. "When did the nightmares start getting worse?"

Luffy avoids his gaze and crosses his arms over his chest. "After I met Sabo again." The rubbery captain mumbles before uncrossing his arms and staring at the bedspread. "Does it get better, Torao?"

Law gives a rueful smile before he turns away and stares at his floor.

"Sometimes."

It's a momentary pause, holding an almost choking tenseness in the air before it's broken by Luffy.

"I miss Ace." Luffy chokes, the name enough to make his chest ache and eyes water. It's a relief to get it off his chest, after days of endless misery and his nakama's worried glances. "Torao—! Why does it have to hurt so bad!? Why didn't... I seen Sabo again! I should be happy, but it _hurts_."

"I'm sorry, Luffy-ya." Law tries, but his eyes are glassy too, and he sits beside his rubbery ally and wraps his arms around Luffy in an awkward embrace.

It hurts.

It shouldn't hurt as bad, but it does.

But... Torao's here, and... and Sabo is too!

So why?

"I know," Torao says, "I know."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry that this is late, rushed, and probably not the best one-shot. I was busy yesterday, and today, but no worries, I'm not too busy to write!
> 
> Correct me if the definition for eccedentesiast is incorrect. I found two different definitions.


End file.
